Speaking at Stormont's reception, Anne Page said she “don't look back on the day and time” that she donated.
She gave a man from London one of the kidneys after discovering that his father-in-law and his best friend were both on kidney dialysis.
“My message to others is that this is extremely valuable and can save someone else’s life.
“When I received the first letter from a man, I was sad to hear what he had gone through and hear about 11 years of dialysis.
“When he said thank you, you still shed tears over and over,” she added.